There is a rising interest of depletion of deposited fossil fuel and environmental pollution, inducing extensive studies to find new alternative sustainable energy sources to replace current petroleum based energy usage. As one of solutions, anaerobic digestion (AD) treating organic wastes has been considered one of the most promising processes owing to its sustainability, low production of sludge, unnecessariness of aeration, and biogas generation. Swine wastewater is characterized by high strength of organic matter contents, so it is regarded as a potential feedstock to produce methane through AD process. To investigate the functional relationship between the microbial communities and anaerobic process performance, regular seasonal sampling was done at four full scale anaerobic digesters treating swine wastewater in South Korea for two years. As results of process and microbial community analyses, chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency was monitored to proportional to those of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. Methanogenic and bacterial populations were also positively related to the removal efficiencies of carbohydrates and lipids. However, proteins removal efficiency was independent of microbial population. It means that microbial communities in full scale anaerobic digesters are most likely to be mainly associated with carbohydrates and/or lipids metabolisms, indicating that proteins may be putative recalcitrant contents in wastewater. The microbial population tends to be more affected by places rather than seasons; however, with respect to seasons, the highest species abundances were observed mainly at winter. This implied that rising temperature in the anaerobic digesters in summer would be not suitable for the growth of mesophilic microorganisms, known to be predominant in anaerobic process. Actually, this speculation is supported by the fact that the highest removal efficiency of COD was measured at winter samples. The marked information in this study must provide a real insight into the effective field operation of anaerobic digestion.

This study was carried out to investigate shelf-life and quality of fresh-cut Dungkunma (Dioscorea bulbifera) in order to elevate utilization of Dungkunma a fresh food. Before vacuum-packaging (in polyethylene/polypropylene film (100μm, 15×20 cm, 75±2 cmHg) and storaging at 2℃, Dungkunma was peeled out and cut to dice type (2.0±0.5 cm3), and then washed and blanched using hot water (at 90±2℃ with 2% NaCl solution for 30 sec). Blanched Dungkunma was pre-dried at room temperature, 40℃ and 50℃ for removing surface water. Each peeled dice Dungkunma was packed 50 g in polyethylene/polypropylene film (100 μm, 15×20 cm) with vacuum treatment (75±2 cmHg) and stored at 2℃ for 90 days. Hardness and adhesiveness of Dungkunma blanched by 2% NaCl and pre-dried at 50℃ (SB50) were the highest, but changes were the least during storage. Lightness and yellowness of stored Dungkunma in all treatments decreased slightly while redness increased during storage. Changes of color of SB50 was the least. Total concentration of aerobic bacteria in SB50 was 1.88±0.18 log CFU/g during 90 days and E. coli was detected in all treatments during whole storage periods. Dioscin and allantoin contents of SB50 were virtually unchanged during the storage. Consequently, the results of this study suggest that vacuum packaged Dungkunma after blanching using 2% NaCl solution could be effective to prolong the quality of fresh-cut Dungkunma.

Platycodon grandiflorum (Bell flower) is an important plant that has traditionally been used as herbal medicine for the treatment of cough, phlegm, sore throats, lung abscesses, chest pains, dysuria, and dysentery. The present study was initiated to investigate the feasibility of inducing shoot and root organogenesis in cultured explants of P. grandiflorum in a range of culture media and through use of various plant growth regulators (PGRs). The plantlets (Stem containing one node) were isolated and cultured on different concentrations of Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with PGRs. We found that proliferation and elongation of shoots and roots could be achieved on ¼ MS for P. grandiflorum with wild and green petals and on ⅛ MS for P. grandiflorum with double petals. The highest levels of development and elongation of adventitious shoots and roots were observed when petal explants were cultured on ¼ MS (pH 3.8) supplemented with 5% sucrose. Increasing the agar concentration reduced shoot growth and rooting potential; nevertheless, the highest number of shoots and roots was observed on 0.6% agar. In the case of growth regulators, ¼ MS supplemented with 1 mg L-1 6-benzylaminopurine (BA) was found to be best for shooting, although higher concentrations of BA tended to reduce shoot and root elongation. The highest number of shoots was achieved on 0.5 mg ․ L-1 thidiazuron (TDZ) from double petal explants grown on ⅛ MS. However, root and shoot elongation were found to decrease when TDZ concentrations were increased. Low concentrations of kinetin, naphthalene acetic acid, indole acetic acid, and 3-indole butyric acid induced shoot and root proliferation and elongation. Taken together, our study showed that low concentrations of PGRs induced the greatest root formation and elongation, showing that the optimal concentration of PGRs for shoot proliferation was species-dependent.

Background : Insect pests damages are increasing on the field of Lycium chinense under eco-friendly organic management and especially, pest damage of Gelechiidae (Ilseopsis parki Povolny) is serious. Currently, various eco-friendly organic materials are registered, but insecticidal activity against Gelechiidae was not verified. Therefore, this experiment was carried out to select eco-friendly organic materials showing insecticidal activity in Gelechiidae. Methods and Results : To test insecticidal activity, the Gelechiidae lavas were collected from the field and Nine eco-friendly organic materials were collected from the market. method. The insecticidal activity assay method was, putting Gelechiidae lavas on the 90mm petridish then water-diluted eco-friendly organic materials were sprayed onto the laver. Result of insecticidal activity was observed with a microscope 10 minutes, 2 hours and 18 hours after the treatment. Microscopic observation results, insecticidal activity was shown only in 5 out of 9 materials. Conclusion : As a result, Insecticidal activity against Gelechiidae was not effective in all tested materials, but the 5 eco-friendly organic materials showed the same effect in repeated experiments. In this study, we selected 5 materials out of 9 eco-friendly organic materials against Gelechiidae, then future studies are planned to select the most suitable materials by field testing the 5 eco-friendly organic materials.

Background : Ginseng is a perennial plant and damaged by various diseases and insect pests. The damage lowers harvest and quality. Accordingly, a chemical control system was made with the aim of effectively control gray mold, anthrax, and spotting disease which occur during growth period. fungicide resistance of gray mold rot was examined to find out whether the chemical control system can be used over the long term. Methods and Results : This experiment was conducted in three areas including Geumsan-gun, Yesan-gun, and Sejong city. The chemical control system was done to the plants of two years old or older. As for the order of the treatment, from the end of April to May Fludioxonil (A) and Pyraclostrobin (B) were used; from the mid-May to the end of July of growth stages Difenoconazole (C), Iminoctadinetris (albesilate) (D), Cyprodinil (E), Metconazole (F), Fluazinam (G) and Pyrimethanil (H); from August to September nonresidualizing polyoxinB + mancozeb (K); in November of hibernating period, Fenhexamid (I) and Carbendazim/diethofencarb (J) were used. As for the interval, from the end of April to the end of July the interval was 10 days, in August and September once a month, and twice in every ten days in November. The isolation of Botrytis cinerea for examination into mycelial growth inhibition rate was conducted to 4-year old ginseng in Geumsan, 5-year old in Yesan, and 3-year old in Sejong. In Geumsan, the mycelial growth inhibition rate to Botrytis cinerea was 75.5% - 100%. Every fungicides showed good rate of mycelial growth inhibition. The lowest rate was seen in fungicide B at 75.5%. K showed the prevention rate at 76.8%, D at 82.7%, and I at 82.2%, and other fungicides at 100%. In Sejong area, the hyphal prevention rate of Botrytis cinerea was 71.0% - 100%, indicating all fungicides show good rate of mycelial growth inhibition. The lowest rate was recorded by fungicide B at 71.1%, D at 81.1%, K at 85.4%, and I at 95.4%. Yesan area also showed similar results to those of Geumsan and Sejong. Conclusion : Botrytis cinerea was isolated from ginseng and mycelial growth inhibition effect was examined in concentration of 11 kinds of fungicides. In all three areas where chemical control system were applied, resistance was not found, suggesting that the chemical control system can be applied to control diseases of ginseng.

Background : Ginseng is a perennial plant and damaged by various diseases and insect pests. The damage lowers harvest and quality. In particular, gray mold rot occurs to plants of every year, growth duration, and hibernating stage, and decays leaves, stems, and roots, lowering the amount of harvest. This experiment was conducted with the aim of effectively preventing gray mold rot, and other major diseases such as anthrax and spotting disease, and establishing chemical control system. Methods and Results : This experiment was conducted in three areas including Geunsan-gun, Yesan-gun, and Sejong city. As for the procedure of medical treatment, from the end of April to early May of germination period, Fludioxonil and Pyraclostrobin were used. From the mid-May to the end of July of growth period, Difenoconazole, Iminoctadine tris (albesilate), Cyprodinil, Metconazole, Fluazinam, and Pyrimethanil were used. From August to September, non residualizing polyoxinB + mancozeb was used. In November of hibernating stage, Fenhexamid and Carbendazim/diethofencarb were used. As for the interval, from the end of April to the end of July the interval was 10 days, in August and September once a month, and twice in every ten days in November. The chemical control system effect was compared with conventional prevention. When chemical control system was used, stem spotting disease occurred at a lower rate of 0.34% than 1.2% of the conventional method. Leaf spotting disease occurred at a lower rate of 1.4% compared with 7.1% of the conventional method, and anthrax occurred at a lower rate by more than 10% than the conventional method. Stem gray mold rot occurred at a rate of 4.1% when the conventional method was used, but the rate stood at 5.3% in Geumsan, 8.9% in Yesan, 2.3% in Sejong when the prevention method was used, which suggest the chemical control system was effective. Conclusion : When chemical control system was applied to prevent major diseases of ginseng, spotting disease, anthrax, and gray mold occurred at lower rates compared with the case where the conventional method was used. The finding is that the chemical control system can be utilized to prevent major diseases of ginseng.

Background : Tetraploid plants are bigger in the size of fruits, leaves, stems, and roots than diploid plants due to bigger cells attributed to chromosome multiplication. The advantage of tetraploid plants includes breakdown of self-incompatibility and increase of disease resistance. This study was carried out to gain tetraploid resources for breeding of new boxthorn varieties having pest resistance, higher yield, and self-compatibility. Methods and Results : Tetraploid lines and maternal varieties used in this study were C0148-10 and C0412-1 from Cheongyang-jaerae, M0148-94 and M0148-120 from Myongan, B0148-43 and B0148-78 from Bulro, D0148-62 and D0148-72 from Cheongdae, and Y0148-2 and Y0148-24 from Youngha. For organic acid composition of tetraploid lines and matrenal varieties, malic acid was highest as 1.47 – 4.6 ㎎/g in fruit, and citric acid and succinic acid were highest in leaf as 2.67 – 4.08 ㎎/g and 4.28 – 6.00 ㎎/g. Total organic acid content in root ranged from 1.78 to 3.23 ㎎/g, lower than in fruit and leaf. Of 11 fatty acids composing the boxthorn fruit, linoleic acid was highest as 25.36 – 50.33 ㎎/g. For leaf, linolenic acid was highest as 4.39 – 8.77 ㎎/g. Linoleic acid was highest as 1.65 – 6.98 ㎎/g of all fatty acids in root. 19 free amino acids were analyzed. Average content of essential amino acids in fruit was 6.64% and lysine was highest as 1.57%. Non-essential amino acid content was 8.26% and serine was highest as 2.72% of all non-essential amino acids in fruit. D0148-62 was highest in the total amino acid and the essential amino acid as 23.58% and 10.19%, respectively. Total amino acid content in leaf was 26.49%. Essential amino acid was 12.12% and leucine was highest as 2.08%. Non-essential amino acid was 14.37% and serine was highest as 4.61%. Total amino acid content in root was 13.25%. Essential amino acid was 6.66% and arginine was highest as 2.58%. Non-essential amino acid was 6.59% and serine was highest as 2.60%. Conclusion : Organic acid content increased in fruit of tetraploid lines and lines induced from Cheongyang-jaerae, Myongan, and Cheongdae were higher in contents of linoleic acid, oleic acid and palmitic acid, resulted in total fatty acid increasing. This shows several induced tetraploid boxthorn lines are very useful resources in breeding new varieties.

Background : Tetraploid plants are bigger in the size of fruits, leaves, stems, and roots than diploid plants due to bigger cells attributed to chromosome multiplication. The advantage of tetraploid plants includes breakdown of self-incompatibility and increase of disease resistance. This study was carried out to gain tetraploid resources for breeding of new boxthorn varieties having pest resistance, higher yield, and self-compatibility. Methods and Results : Tetraploid lines and maternal varieties used in this study were C0148-10 and C0412-1 from Cheongyang-jaerae, M0148-94 and M0148-120 from Myongan, B0148-43 and B0148-78 from Bulro, D0148-62 and D0148-72 from Cheongdae, and Y0148-2 and Y0148-24 from Youngha. Betaine content was highest as 0.7 - 1.62% in leaf, followed by 0.55 - 1.17% in fruit and 0.04 - 0.23% in root. Betaine content in plant parts of several tetraploid lines increased compared to martenal varieties, higher in fruit for 5 lines including D0148-72, B0148-78, and C0142-1, higher in leaf for 5 lines including C0148-10, C0412-1, and M0148-94, and higher in root for 7 lines including Y0148-2, M0148-94, and M0148-120. Rutin content in leaf ranged 4.0 – 388.55 ㎎% and was highest as 388.55 ㎎% in Y0148-24. Tannin content in leaf of tetraploid lines was 4.70 - 6.12%, highest as 6.12% in Y0148-2 and M0148-120, similar to the maternal varieties. Youngha of the diploid plants showed the highest tannin content of 7.08%. Total free sugar content in tetraploid lines was higher as 8.53 - 12.53% than maternal varieties. Conclusion : Betaine and rutin contents increased in several tetraploid lines and Total free sugar content in tetraploid lines was higher as 8.53 - 12.53% than maternal varieties. This shows tetraploid boxthorn lines are very useful resources in breeding new varieties.